Re-Framing Educational Politics for Social Justice

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";This book offers a unique approach to the study of the politics of education...Intellectually stimulating."; Larry Hughes, Ph.D, University of Houston ";Interesting and current research in the realm of educational politics... Beautifully written."; Anthony Normore, Ph.D, Florida International University This text challenges leaders, educators and researchers to grapple with the realities of educational politics and to act as positive advocates for social justice. The text offers strategies for educators to understand and take charge of educational politics and includes a range of new approaches to study politics. Each chapter is organized to provide frameworks and findings from traditional as well as new theories and methodologies and political strategies. The whole book is oriented toward building critiquing skills, modeling successful political strategies, and doing politics differently to empower educators and researchers. Features: bull; bull;Includes balanced coverage between practical perspectives and strategies for impacting politics with the theory, research, and methodological insights that will enable readers to formulate studies of politics. bull;Embeds race, gender, sexuality, and multicultural issues within the study of politics so these issues become part and parcel of politics of education. bull;Discusses political dilemmas in the U.S. and compares educational policy outcomes with other countries to demonstrate how countries borrow educational policy strategies from each other (Chapter 7). bull;Every chapter contains Guiding Questions and ends with Exercises that provide practice and skill-building opportunities. The Exercises include provocative questions that require readers to take a stand and/or to speculate, as educational leaders, on the implications of political dilemmas and challenges. bull;Every chapter contains real-life illustrations or vignettes, from highly visible political actors as well as from the often forgotten and marginalized, that demonstrate follow-up on issues and also build readers' skills in interpretation and analysis. bull;An extensive bibliography and useful web links serve as resources to allow readers to seek out original and very far-ranging, up-to-date sources.

Foreword

ix

Preface

xi

PART I Re-visioning Educational Politics

1

(98)

1 Frameworks for Puzzles in Politics and Policy

3

(34)

What Is Politics? What Is Policy?

4

(2)

Analyzing Behaviors and Arenas in Policy Formulation

6

(18)

Lived Realities: Is It Politics, Policy, or Drama?

6

(18)

Realities of Partisan Politics

24

(6)

Choosing a Lens

30

(1)

Missing Voices and Issues and the Need to Take a Stand

30

(4)

Summary

34

(3)

2 The Politics of Policy Implementation and Analysis

37

(32)

Lived Realities: So What Is School Improvement?

38

(1)

The Structures of Policy and Policy Planning

39

(11)

Cultural Processes of Policy Implementation

50

(8)

Lived Realities: This Needs to Be Done by Tomorrow?

51

(7)

Politics of Education, Policy Studies, and Policy Analysis

58

(6)

Beyond Traditional Policies and Analyses

64

(5)

3 Alternative Visions for Advocacy Politics

69

(30)

Defining Social Justice

72

(1)

Who Frames Policy?

72

(6)

Lived Realities: The Face of Failure

77

(1)

Theories for Re-visioning and Re framing Policies

78

(8)

Lived Realities: Examining the Prospects of Democratic School Reform

84

(2)

Politics from Margin to Center

86

(2)

Proactive Re-visioning and Re framing

88

(1)

Promising Approaches to Analysis of Politics and Policy

89

(4)

Lived Realities: Promoting Development via Girls' Education

92

(1)

Examples of Policy Re framing: Accountability Policies

93

(3)

Summary

96

(3)

PART II Multiple Arenas of Educational Politics

99

(134)

4 Micropolitics: Uncovering "Hidden" Power

101

(26)

Defining Micropolitics

102

(2)

Lived Realities: James's Story: Whose Perspective Counts?

103

(1)

The Dynamics of Site Micropolitics

104

(3)

Re framing Micropolitical Perspectives

107

(7)

Micropolitical Themes

114

(3)

Uncovering Agency in Micropolitics

117

(3)

Emerging Micropolitical Challenges: The Politics of Denial and Areas of Silence

120

(5)

Lived Realities: Jamie Nabozny

121

(2)

Lived Realities: Uncovering Racism: Native American Mascots and the Media